Investigation of Ultraviolet Degradation of Plastic with Mapping Program

Introduction

Plastic is degraded by ultraviolet light and heat. However, it is difficult to determine how deep degradation reaches into a material based on its external appearance. The extent of degradation inside a material can be confirmed by cutting cross sections of the material and performing mapping analysis with an infrared microscope. We describe an analytical technique that confirms the extent of ultraviolet degradation of polypropylene plastic that is used in various everyday products, and compare the results with visual observation of ultraviolet degradation.

August 26, 2016 GMT